Looking Through New Eyes [Sequel to Better Than You]

First Mission (Ep. 2)

         They're new goal with the TVA was catching another Variant Loki, so this was going to be an amazing adventure. First, Loki and (Y/N) had to do some training just to know what different things are and some policies they have. (Y/N) did fine with everything, but Loki was a whole different story. At least they finally got different outfits; the classic white button up with a pocket and black tie.

       "Okay y'all, let's review what we've learned," Miss Minutes smiled. "What happens when a nexus event branches past the time line?" "Very bad things," Loki answered. She frowned, "Come on, Loki. What is it?" "It's when the TVA can no longer reset a nexus event. Okay? Boring," He sighed and went back to the jet ski magazine he found. In the middle of this, (Y/N) walked over to stand behind him. She smiled, "Has any change happened, or am I going to have to listen to his whining? I've been hanging out with Casey, and he gave me matching pens to put in my shirt pocket." "How come she isn't doing this as well?" (Y/N) rolled her eyes, "Because I tell them what they want to hear. They at least like me a little more as well, so it plays in my favor~" Even Miss Minutes agreed to this, "She isn't wrong. Even if she can talk with her tongue out of her shoe, she does know her stuff." That was a weird way of complimenting someone, but (Y/N) took it nonetheless. "Can you hear me? Are you a recording, or are you alive?" Loki asked. "Uh..sorta both." He nodded, starting to try and hit her with a now balled up magazine. (Y/N) laughed with him, watching her retreat to the small computer on the desk. Mobius walked in to hand them both jackets, saying there has been another attack. It did fit them well, even got the sizing down perfectly. Before they followed though, (Y/N) fixed Loki's collar and smiled at him. He nodded and they were on their way.

        "C-20 and her team went dark shortly after they jumped to the 1985 branch. All signs point to another ambush. We've grabbed enough temporal aura to know it's our Variant Loki, but which kind of Loki is still unknown," The woman Minutemen, also known as B-15, explained. "They're lesser kind, to be clear," Loki nodded quick to them. (Y/N) tried to brush it off for them, "Don't pay him any mind, please." "Let me see the back of that jacket," B-15 asked Loki. He turned around to show the word 'Variant' typed in bold orange, which (Y/N) already knew of when walking here. He sighed, "Well done" "I don't want anyone out there to forget who you both are." (Y/N) questioned, "The 'experts' you need to catch this Variant?" "No. A cosmic mistake. The both of you." Loki gave a snarky remark, but caught a glance of (Y/N) looking like it got to her for a second. "Here's the deal," Mobius changed topics. "When we get out on the field,  we're not just looking for a Time Criminal. We're looking for a Loki." He brought up a projection of Loki in his frost giant form. It turns out that a lot of Loki's have pruned before, this did include the ones he was now showing; a Olympic Runner Loki, a more mutated monster Loki, an older bearded Loki, and more that made Loki and (Y/N) furrow their brows hard. "Different powers, although powers, generally include shape shifting, illusion projection, and my favorite-" "Duplication casting," Loki interrupted. 

      "They are two very different powers," (Y/N) started to explain it with Loki. He started, "Illusion projection involves depicting a detail image from outside oneself, which is perceptible in the external world." And (Y/N) finished it, "Whereas duplication casting entails recreating an exact facsimile of one's own body in it's present circumstance, which acts as a true holographic mirror of it's molecular structure. I learned from this guy, which I would like to thank." Loki smiled at her, nodding to her, "...But you all already knew that." Everyone was shocked and somewhat feeling light headed from that fast explanation, but they still split into two team anyway with some resistance from another Minutemen soldier. 

        Everyone started to get ready, and the usual trio was walking towards the portal. "Do I get a weapon?" "No," Mobius laughed. (Y/N) caught up on the other of Mobius, "Well, we'll have our magic back. Is no one concerned of either of us betraying you?" "No, because you both know that we can catch you...and how's betraying us gonna get you closer to see the Time Keepers?" That made them pause. Loki looked determined from hearing that, while (Y/N) whispered to Mobius, "Don't put that in his head. You know you'll regret it." Walking through the portal, it was a Renaissance Festival with everyone looking so confused rightfully. Loki asked, "Why don't we just travel back to before the attack, when the Variant first arrives?" "Nexus events destabilize the time flow. The branch is still changing and growing, so you gotta show up in real time. Did you watch any of the training videos  you were suppose to?" (Y/N) sighed, "I had to keep waking him up a few times during them, but yeah he did." 

         Getting to the actual scene of the crime, it was simply some bodies and the equipment of the soldier C-20. "A Loki couldn't have gotten the jump on C-20." "I think you underestimate, actually-" She didn't even listen to him, commanding others to look in other places for possible signs on where she was taken. "I mean, this Variant had killed your people before. What makes you think that they wouldn't have kidnapped C-20?" (Y/N) looked at the bodies, examining the stab wounds and how the scene ended up. They were already short on time, so Mobius tried to drag them both out before it hit red line. She started walking after Mobius, but Loki grabbed her arm. They looked at each other, and he said telepathically to her, "Follow my lead." She was confused as he yelled out for the others leaving. "Wait! If you leave this tent, you'll end up like them. I see a scheme, and in that scheme I see myself," He announced. His eyes went to (Y/N), and she said to him in his head, "Step carefully, Loki." 

         Everyone listened to him as he started to explain, "We have a saying in Asgard, 'where there is wolf's ear, wolf's teeth are near.' It means to be aware of your surroundings. Which is absurd, because my people are, by nature, gullible fools." He kept going on, so (Y/N) took this chance to try and find something they couldn't see. Closing her eyes, she went into the shadows to see if the Variant was still at least somewhere on this branch. After a minute, she felt something watching her right back and she couldn't tell who it was. Before anything else could happen, (Y/N) backed out to hear Loki say, "It's a trap. He's waiting for you outside this tent." The branch was close to red line, Loki was trying to keep them there for longer for...oh god. (Y/N) realized what he was doing, and it was what she warned Mobius of in the first place. After Loki whispered something to him, he looked over to her and she only could look away from his gaze. "He's lying, just playing games. There's no one out there," Mobius thought it out for a moment. Before (Y/N) could even look at Loki, Mobius took her away outside as Loki ran to catch up.

       "Stop." "Stop what?" "Whatever plan you have! Stop it." Because of the very close call made on their first mission, Mobius suffered the consequences most since he was responsible for the both of them. "You sound like you're starting to like this place. I thought you were going to be by my side," Loki questioned. She sighed and walked up to him to get close, "I'm looking out for you, your majesty." He didn't say anything as she backed away, rubbing her temples. "It's just...you keep playing like your god, and you will go down like one. I want you to live this out, and that is the truth. Just promise me...step very carefully in unknown territory." He looked away for a moment, "Loki...please. I can't see you die a 4th time." He looked at her, and nodded a bit. He said quietly, "I promise you, (Y/N)." "Thank you...if you lie to me, I will punch you so hard in the gut."